


Lying to Friends - Study Session (A Stressed Marinette Fic)

by bugaboo0scrambles



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: After School - Freeform, Aged Up, Angst, Backstory, Best Friends, Comfort, Gen, Light Angst, Stress, Studying, after school talks, tutoring hours, very stress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:02:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22064467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugaboo0scrambles/pseuds/bugaboo0scrambles
Summary: Marinette is failing Chem.Or she gonna if she doesn't study- but there is something in the back of her mind. Something that keeps her from doing anything. Taking up her mind as she zones out. A feeling that telling her that the whole world could end soon, like a Ladybug Intuition. A sixth sense, if you will.Or maybe Marinette is just overthinking it. She should really study for that test soon...
Kudos: 17





	Lying to Friends - Study Session (A Stressed Marinette Fic)

**Author's Note:**

> A stand-alone fic, but I'm referencing this fic when I write my series (called the Ladyzilla AU).

She tapped her pen twice as fast with each passing second. Drumming it against the polished desk cluttered with her chipped-edge textbooks and countless colored pens. Unconsciously moving the one in her petite fingers like a seesaw with her thumb. Bringing relief to her as its beat stayed constant. Much like a metronome, it combed her thoughts into neat lines. In a sequence, she could manage with. Fixing it from the jumble of nonsense that usually caused her to blank out as she stared off into the nothing. 

Even when handing her pen off to Alya, Marinette thumped her foot up and down. Keeping the rhythm going. Comforting herself. Alleviating the wrinkles on her forehead while the sides of her throat made her feel nauseous. Getting hit by a sudden fever or tasting the reason why tuna sandwiches shouldn’t be left in a schoolbag. Excusing herself from her seat. Turning the chair under her with a little too much force. Preparing to get a scolding by the librarian for that later as Marinette cringed at the thump it made. Alya, on the other hand, didn’t bat an eye, her arm mindlessly waving bye as her eyes narrowed on the chemistry problem. Biting her top lip before uncapping another highlighter. 

Marinette stepped out of the library with a big huff. She picked the wrong day to be skipping out in her studying with her chem test creeping closer and closer. However, the deadline didn’t jump-start panic into her system as it once did. Tikki and her had trouble figuring out if that was a bad thing or a good thing. Yet, there was an undeniable hunch blazing in the back of her mind that wouldn’t let her study even if she tried. 

A sixth sense throbbing. 

Ladybug intuition, if you will. 

Something very bad was going to happen. As if, as if the world was on the verge of seeing something horrible. 

Tikki instructed Marinette to be on the lookout. Reminding her to pick her allies wisely if the battle up ahead demanded more heroes. Marinette visited Master Fu over tea to speak on the matter. Even mentioning it to Chat Noir on a late-night patrol. Before brushing off the comment she made as a simple thought. Chastening herself as she chewed her lip. The last thing she wanting was to make her partner worry for no reason but this sense of doom made her develop a case of insomnia she couldn’t cure. 

Marinette was scared. 

Of what? She was unsure about it. 

Maybe everything is getting to her. Like she was crashing from a high. 

No. 

No, Marinette was fine.

Other than the irrational panic, she’s good. 

She had a schedule now so she won’t be stressed too much about commission deadlines and due dates. Slowly getting into the self-care routine thanks to Alya and Adrien. 

She’s good. 

Though she knew that wasn’t the whole truth. 

Lila picked at her nerves each and everyday. Making it seem like another battle lost when she gave Mari that dumb smirk and ARH! It was so infuriating! Watching her go around like the victim when she lit the match that led to the fire. Lila was worse than Chloe. Marinette even wanted to go far as comparing her to Hawkmoth. 

Marinette ground her teeth at that.

Hawkmoth has been a pain lately, too. 

Marinette punched a number in the school’s vending machine. The same one that had stickers on the sides and graffiti etched on the plastic-glass. Hoping a drink will clear her head. Searching her coin purse to get something for Alya too. Knowing too well that she couldn’t drink it in the library. 

Shooting Alya a text to get down for a quick break. 

Marinette pulled back the can tab, the sizzle of the carbonated drink was music to her ears after swallowing the cafeteria’s bitter “green” juice for lunch. Taking a sip as a pick-me-up from studying, waiting for the sugar to kick in her system. Leaning on to the cream-yellow bricks that made up the walls of the school. Noticing one of the bricks had someone’s initials scratched on to it. 

“Girl, you don’t even know how much I needed this.” Alya popped open the can by Marinette’s feet. Not asking if it was her’s because of course, it was her’s. Grinning when it saw it was her favorite flavor. Smiling a little wider when tasting how cold it was. Balancing out the sun while its rays warmed the air around them. 

“I thought we could use a bit of a breather.” Marinette hummed. Tipping her head back as she took another sip. “It’s not good being inside for too long.”

“Yeah,” Alya smirked, slurping her drink. “Sure that it wasn’t because of the view.”

Feeling the bubbles in her drink go up to her nose. Marinette coughed into her elbow. Almost dropping her can. 

“Ah- what?" 

Alya patted her back till Marinette quit coughing. Her brown locks swayed as her head nodded towards the locker rooms. There, as if on cue, the fencing team poured out. Laughing with their gym bags slung over their shoulders. 

Adrien smiled as one of his teammates patted his back. His sandy-golden curls were messy and all over the place. It was a charming look, really. Though he was probably sweaty from practice. The sunrays made his hair glitter as he laughed lightly at one of his teammates’ jokes. Marinette could just stand there to watch. Maybe even try to grab his attention or call him out from the crowd. 

Then he looked at her. 

Marinette straightens up. Not caring that her pigtails were a little loose or the fact that her face screamed "fresh out from the grave” with the bags under her eyes. 

He gave her that soft smile he seems to offer only her. Or that’s just what Marinette likes to think. To imagine if somehow, someway, he thought she was special. 

Miraculous even. 

Marinette pumped out her own smile, not helping the red that appeared up to her ears. Waving goodbye a little too enthusiastically. Staring at him even when he turned around, making his way out the school’s grand doors. Possibly out to where his bodyguard stood. Entering a slick black car that would take his home. Probably, reaching for his phone to text Nino about when they should hang out. Or probably just shut in a room to practice his piano. 

“No,” Marinette confessed. Shaking her head swiftly. “No, you got it all wrong." 

"Mari,” Alya cooed. Sporting a fox-like grin. Steaming up another scheme before Marinette stared her down. 

“Seriously. I have to much on my mind to try and chase boys.” Marinette sipped. Noticing how her grip made a dent in the can. 

A hand fell on Marinette’s shoulder, shaking her a bit before feeling Alya’s hand skated into small circles. Knowing too well it was the same trick she did when her younger sisters were upset. 

“You wanna talk about it?" 

—-

The two girls sat by the vending machine for a while. Marinette had dropped to the ground when Alya squatted next to her. Their nearly empty cans stood by them. Trembling when a breeze came in but the leftover juice in them kept them from flying away like another piece of trash in the wind. 

Marinette had a great view of the quad from where she sat. It was 4:15 and Ms. Bustier’s breathing class was starting. Their meetings were once weekly only to switch it to daily sessions as Hawkmoth started acting up. Pulling out stronger akumas. Every time getting closer and closer to getting the Miraculous. Every time he seemed to manage to set the city on fire before Marinette could call on her Ladybug Cure to extinguish it. 

People were fearing for their lives. 

Marinette felt the tension leaving the student’s shoulders as Ms.Bustier told them to breathe. 

People were fearing for their lives. 

Scared out of their minds to think that they could be one of Hawkmoth’s "champions”. A pawn in his game. Manipulated then tossed away when they failed. 

Marinette came to the conclusion that whoever hid behind the mask, behind the akumas, behind the destruction and terrorism that haunted France she would beat to a bloody pulp. 

It was already set in stone. 

Nothing could change her mind now. Not after days, weeks, months, years fighting against this villain, she has seen first-hand how it changed her community. 

Emotions were a weapon now. Feeling anxious or bothered or frustrated or disappointed or anything negative was seen as a weakness to the villain. A target on your back as you felt anything other than happiness. It drained people after a while. To think that people were afraid to express themselves in fear that a little black butterfly would come down and evilize them. The same healthy emotions that were the basis for any person was now a feared weapon.

Teens, the main targets for akumas, now had this fear on their back as anxiety, depression, and anxiousness ate them up. 

Nadja reported that Akuma-Safe Protocols were now implemented in every school or public area.

Alya posted safety guides to Akumas on her blog. 

The Mayor released messages to the press about how they had to work together with their heroes. To stop this dumpster fire that seems to grow each and everyday. 

And the person stopping from Paris burning down was Marinette Dupain-Cheng in a bug costume with a flirty cat by her side. 

Marinette gave a heavy sigh as Alya brushed her bangs back. Petting her like how a mother would comb her child’s hair with their fingers. Waiting for Mari to say what was on in her chest and mind. 

God, Marinette just wanted to tell her. To rant. To vent. To cry. All to stop the headaches she was getting or to release the pressure in her. To explain to Alya who she really is. The same hero Alya follows around was the girl that sat next to her in every class. How every time she lied was to go save Paris, not to ditch her. How the secret society that Alya figured out was the same one Marinette went to every Wednesday for tea. Really, she wanted to spill. To stop lying to her best friend in the whole wide world. To tell the truth. To break down this wall between them.

But Marinette just bit her tongue. 

Alya could never know about this. 

“I’m just worried about this semester, you know.” Marinette sighed. It wasn’t what was bothering her, but it was something her parents brought up during dinner. Not to scare her, but because they were too interested in what she plans to do. 

“It’s our last year here before we move on to bigger things.” She groaned, getting up from the floor. 

“My dream of having my own fashion house and yours about being a reputable reporter.

"I’m scared that we’re gonna grow apart.” Marinette huffed. Tossing her can in the green recycling bin. 

“Hey,” Alya’s eyes soften with her tone. “We’re going to conquer the world together, remember. We, kind of, still need to be best friends for that to work out.” She beamed. 

Her smile mirroring on to Mari’s face. 

“I guess, you’re right about that.”

“I know I am!” Alya exclaimed. Throwing her arm around Marinette’s shoulder.

“Now that we are on the topic of working together, there is this one problem I can’t seem to solve on the study guide-" 

"ALYA!”

“What! I need help with it!”


End file.
